Gender Diversity in Computer Science at a Large Public R1 Research University: Reporting on a Self-study

With the number of jobs in computer occupations on the rise, there is a greater need for computer science (CS) graduates than ever. At the same time, most CS departments across the country are only seeing 25–30% of women students in their classes, meaning that we are failing to draw interest from a large portion of the population. In this work, we explore the gender gap in CS at Rutgers University–New Brunswick, a large public R1 research university, using three data sets that span thousands of students across six academic years. Specifically, we combine these data sets to study the gender gaps in four core CS courses and explore the correlation of several factors with retention and the impact of these factors on changes to the gender gap as students proceed through the CS courses toward completing the CS major. For example, we find that a significant percentage of women students taking the introductory CS1 course for majors do not intend to major in CS, which may be a contributing factor to a large increase in the gender gap immediately after CS1. This finding implies that part of the retention task is attracting these women students to further explore the major. Results from our study include both novel findings and findings that are consistent with known challenges for increasing gender diversity in CS. In both cases, we provide extensive quantitative data in support of the findings.

S-5 formula for leadership development

Leadership is an area of perennial interest cutting across all fields of knowledge, including health sciences. The current models of leadership emphasize the skills and techniques derived from behavioural sciences and management. S-5 Formula is a developmental model, evidenced by learning theories and anchored in ancient Indian wisdom. The leadership journey begins by Setting a high goal (Sankalpa) to achieve something big, different and useful. This journey is aided by a Self- study and reflection (Swadhyaya). It gains Synergy (Satsanga) through collaborative learning, mentoring and feedback. The next phase is Service (Seva). Finally, the leader does act of Surrender (Samarpan), giving back to the society thus becoming an instrument of change. The theoretical framework behind these components and their implications for practice have been discussed.

Leveraging Joint Planning in Early Intervention: Documenting with Intentionality and Specificity

A family-capacity building approach to coaching, where providers support caregivers to embed identified strategies into daily routines and activities, is commonly embraced in Part C Early Intervention (EI). EI providers use several coaching strategies within this approach, yet few studies have reported process features, and coaching strategies are not well defined in the literature. We partnered in this Participatory Action Research (PAR) with current EI providers engaged in a year-long self-study process to provide an empirical account of one coaching strategy, joint planning, and related documentation. Our results indicate both providers and caregivers view documentation of joint planning as beneficial, highlight supports and challenges, and suggest that joint planning documentation holds significant promise for improving practice, data-based decision making, and progress monitoring of child and family outcomes including changes in caregiver capacity.

Classical and Discrete Functional Analysis with Measure Theory

Functional analysis deals with infinite-dimensional spaces. Its results are among the greatest achievements of modern mathematics and it has wide-reaching applications to probability theory, statistics, economics, classical and quantum physics, chemistry, engineering, and pure mathematics. This book deals with measure theory and discrete aspects of functional analysis, including Fourier series, sequence spaces, matrix maps, and summability. Based on the author's extensive teaching experience, the text is accessible to advanced undergraduate and first-year graduate students. It can be used as a basis for a one-term course or for a one-year sequence, and is suitable for self-study for readers with an undergraduate-level understanding of real analysis and linear algebra. More than 750 exercises are included to help the reader test their understanding. Key background material is summarized in the Preliminaries.

Taking a Student-Centred Approach to Alternative Digital Credentials

As the acquisition of microcredentials becomes a more common practice, the authors foresee that there will emerge a variety of ways in which students can acquire microcredentials; such acquisition may manifest across multiple academic courses, programs, or experiences. In this chapter, they address how microcredentials are incorporated into and assessed across multiple pathways at their institution. These pathways include options for self-study, integrated academic programming, and co-curricular activities. The approach to both microcredentials and this chapter is student-focused. Rather than placing attention upon the revenue generation potential of microcredentials, this chapter addresses the methods through which universities can serve students in their goals to attain and demonstrate skills associated with microcredentials.

Towards an Anti-Racist, Culturally Responsive, and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Education

This chapter summarizes the ongoing efforts of faculty to develop a program of study embedded in an educational doctorate (EdD) program intended to develop critically conscious educational leaders and change agents. It discusses how courses were collaboratively developed as well as how faculty decided on and began to employ an experimental self-study action research Dissertation in Practice. This chapter then outlines what was learned as a team of collaborators about the best ways to establish coherence and cultivate deep learning to support students' ability to work with adults in the context of instruction and curriculum to address historically entrenched inequities that differentially disadvantage some students while granting privileges to others.

Supporting Language Learning With OERs and Open-Authoring Tools

Open educational resources (OERs) in language learning have recently captured the interests of language educators, curriculum developers, and researchers as these open-source materials serve as an alternative to traditional textbooks and costly web-based learning resources. OERs offer several benefits for language learners, including access to controlled language practice, self-study, engagement, and learning satisfaction. These resources can also promote innovative instructional practices that respond to constructivist and interactionist perspectives of second language acquisition. However, widespread use of open resources remains low among language teachers for several reasons, including a lack of awareness of how to develop and use them, overreliance on commercially produced textbooks, scarcity of resources, and guidelines for developing original open resources. In this chapter, the authors explore how to best approach the process of creating and using open resources in order to develop and promote OERs among language educators.